Switch lockout mechanism



6 7 M M w T. E 7 W m 9 V O 4 m N 9- fiW A F e r Y W a B m 1 M i. F.PECKHAM SWITCH LOCKOUT MECHANISM Filed May 22,. 1946 Feb. 14, 1950Patented Feb. 14, 1950 OFFICE SWITCH LOCKOUT MECHANISM Isidore F.Peckham, Chicago, 111., assignor to Donald P. Mossman, Sr.

Application May 22, 1946, Serial N 0. 671.453

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a switch lockout mechanism that is so arrangedthat when one, plunger, push button or switch lever is moved to activeposition other like devices of a bank of such plungers, push buttons orswitch levers are locked against movement. Such mechanisms are alsosometimes referred to as selector mechanisms. It is the purpose of myinvention to provide a novel mechanism of this character that utilizessimple readily obtainable parts and is inexpensive to construct 01'repair and that has a long useful life with little wear on the movingparts.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a mechanism of thischaracter using lockout members that can turn or roll in a tube so as topresent fresh surfaces to the lever or plunger part, spacing beingobtained to fit the particular mounting conditions by using a variety ofsizes of lockout members in combination. Because of the nature of thelookout members, the necessity for wedge-shaped or pointed edges on theswitch lever etc. is avoided.

The nature and advantages of my invention will appear more fully fromthe following description and the accompany drawings. It should beunderstood, however, that the drawings and description are illustrativeof a preferred embodiment only and are not to be considered as limitingthe invention except insofar as it is limited by the claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bank of lever switches and the lookoutmechanism;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front face view of the bank of switches;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end view of the bank of switches;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a view like Figure 5 but showing the parts in a differentposition.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention is shown as applied to abank of lever switches wherein a mounting plate ID has a row of switchframes H, l2, l3 secured thereto by screws I4. The switches carry springcontacts l5 which are operated by rollers l6 and IT. The rollers l6 andI! are rotatably secured upon an actuator I 8 that is pivoted in theframe ll by a shaft 19 and spaced from the sides of the frame by spacers20. The actuator projects through the frame of the switch and throughthe mounting plate l0 placed between the actuators l8.

and has a handle 2!. The actuator I8 is held in adjusted position by adetent mechanism com prising a spring pressed roller 22 and teeth 23.The roller is mounted in a bar 24 that is suitably secured in the switchframe. The switch mechanism just described is a well known one. Bymoving the handle 2! right or left from the position shown in Figure 2,the spring contacts are caused to make or break electrical circuits.Since my invention is concerned only with the locking of the actuator l8so that only one of the switches may be in actuated position at a time,the switch mechanism will not be further described.

My invention is embodied in certain parts that are applied to themounting plate It) and arranged to cooperate with the actuators l8. Itis believed to be evident that it is not limited to the type of switchshown but that it may be applied wherever this particular lockout actionis needed. A plurality of brackets 25 secure a plurality of tubes 26,2'1, 28 and 29, to the mounting plate 10. The tubes 26 and 29 have theirends closed by plugs 30 and 3|. The tubes 21 and 28 are The actuatorshave apertures through them as indicated at 32 so that when the handles2| are in the positions shown in Figure 2, the apertures 32 align withthe tubes to provide a continuous open passage between the plugs 36 and3|. If one of the handles 2i is moved out of this neutral position,however, the actuator then forms a barrier across the passage.

In order to prevent more than one actuator from being moved out ofneutral position at a time, I fill the tubes with a multiplicity ofballs 33 of a size to roll freely in the tubes, but to fit ratherclosely therein. These balls may be, for example, slightly imperfectball bearings that occur in the manufacture of ball bearings. Theseseconds, or rejects, of the ball bearing manufacturers are entirelysuitable for my purpose.

If the tube length is such that a number of balls will fill the tubewith just enough space left to receive an actuator barrier at one point,I use nothing but the balls. In cases where the spacing of the switchesis such that this cannot be done, then I use pieces 34 and 35 of rods ofa size to turn and slide freely in the tubes as spacers. These piecescan be cut to exactly the right length. They are spaced from theactuators in all cases by a ball on each Side of the actuator. Theaperture in the actuator is defined by walls that are rounded as shownso that a ball in the aperture can be rolled out of the positionposition way when the actuator is moved to take the aperture therein outof alignment with the tubes.

In operation it is necessary to bring all actuators to neutral positionbefore any one of them can be moved to active position. Movement of anactuator to or from active position is easily accomplished because ofthe fact that the balls can roll or turn easily as they are movedlengthwise of the tubes by the pressure of the actuator that is beingmoved to active position. The halls will also shove any of the spacerrods or washers lengthwise oi the tube. The device lends itself readilyto lubrication because ,of'the balls in the tubes. The device has theadvantage too that movement of the actuator "may: be=rotary or slidingand in any direction across the tubes. Also the switch actuator partvcan'be readily adopted without any change other than providing anaperture to align with the tubes when the v actuator is in the lockedout position.

It is believed that the nature and advantages i my invention will beclearly understood from the foregoing description. 7

Having thus described my invention I claim: A lockout mechanism forbanks of instrumentalities such as switches having movable actuatorelements arranged in spaced relation-wherebythe actuator elements may belocked in one by movement of one element to another until that elementis returned to the non-lock position, said mechanism comprising amounting base for said instrumentalities, a series of tube sectionsmounted on said base in end to end relation such sections having theactuator elements extending transversely between them and the elementseach comprising a disk pivoted upon an axis offset to one side of theline of said sections and substantially filling the space betweenadjacent sections, said 'disk having an aperture for alignment with thetube section in one position of the element whereby to form a continuouspassage through the sections and ball members mounted in said passageand free to roll therein for permitting an actuator element to moveuntilits aperture is out of alignment with the passage.

ISIDORE F. PECKHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain July 10, 1930

